Skipping School
Jessie Haas
Skipping School
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jessie Haas
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The sharp chill of winter air nips at your nose as you crouch in a hidden cottage, soft mews filling the quiet woods. Two tiny kittens, abandoned and trembling, count on you for survival—but can you keep them safe when everyone else says they must be gone? Sometimes, saving a life means breaking all the rules, and that’s just the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Skipping School tells the story of a fifteen-year-old boy who moves to a new community while coping with his father's terminal illness. He secretly cares for two abandoned kittens, balancing his grief and a sense of isolation with his determination to protect them. Suitable for ages 9-12, this middle-grade novel sensitively explores themes of family change, loss, and resilience without graphic content.
Why we rated Skipping School 9ME
Skipping School is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 181 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Skipping School works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Skipping School as 9ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Skipping School explores family, moving, animals, resilience, and friendship — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, moving, animals.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781497662544
- Pages
- 181
- Publisher
- Open Road Media
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction